Director/Senior Director, Antibody Discovery

Department: Lab ScienceLocation: San Mateo, CADescriptionThe Role:BigHat is seeking an exceptional and highly experienced individual for a position as Director/Senior Director of Antibody Discovery. This individual will lead the company’s antibody discovery and display function. They will be responsible for conceiving of and leading multi-year team and technology strategy as well as managing routine operational execution for identification and maturation of high-quality antibodies across antigen types for both BigHat and BigHat-partnered therapeutic research programs.Key ResponsibilitiesLead BigHat’s antibody discovery and display functions, setting the scientific, technical, and strategic directionOversee the routine execution of display-based selection campaigns to enhance and diversify affinity, developability, and function across diverse antibody formats and antigen types in support of BigHat and BigHat-partnered therapeutic programsManage and mentor a team of scientists responsible for antibody library design, generation, screening, selection, and early optimizationShape and expand BigHat’s antibody discovery technologies and capabilities, including new display and selection methods, library design strategies, and technical approaches that leverage and enhance the company’s integrated experimental and computational platformProvide scientific leadership across discovery and early optimization efforts, ensuring antibodies emerging from selections possess strong functional and developability characteristicsWork closely with leaders in Protein Sciences, Data Science/Machine Learning, Engineering, and Platform groups to ensure seamless progression from discovery through characterization and optimizationCollaborate with biology and therapeutic research leads to ensure display outputs align with and advance program objectivesFoster a collaborative and high-performance culture within the discovery organizationSkills Knowledge And ExpertisePh.D. in molecular biology, biochemistry, protein engineering, or related discipline with 12+ years of experience in antibody discovery and engineering within academia, biotechnology, or pharmaceutical industries8+ years of managerial experience leading scientific teamsStrong expertise with protein display systems such as yeast, phage, mammalian, or mRNA displayDemonstrated experience with antibody library design, construction, screening, and selection analysisDeep understanding of antibody structure-function relationships and mechanisms of antigen recognitionExperience integrating antibody discovery workflows with downstream characterization and developability assessment, including functional screening and biophysical evaluation of antibody candidatesFamiliarity with computational or ML-enabled approaches to protein design and optimizationExperience advancing biologics from early discovery through lead optimization stagesKnowledge of diverse antibody modalities including multispecific antibodies, antibody fragments, and other advanced formatsStrong leadership skills with experience building and mentoring scientific teamsStrategic thinker capable of aligning discovery activities with broader company goalsExcellent communication and cross-functional collaboration skillsSelf-motivated and comfortable working in a fast-paced startup environmentMust be willing to work onsite 5 days per weekTotal RewardsThe salary estimated for this position is $230,000 - $270,000 + bonus + options + benefits. Compensation will vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Actual compensation will be confirmed in writing at the time of the offer.What BigHat OffersRange of health insurance plan options through Anthem and Kaiser (monthly credit if benefit waived)Dental, and vision coverage through GuardianAdditional well-being benefits through Nayya, OneMedical, Wagmo, Rula, and more401(k) with company matchDTO, two weeks of company-wide shutdown, and 12 company holidaysPaid parental leave